


My Week with Harry

by honeylouavenue



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Addict Harry, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Smut, One Shot, Ordinary Harry, Ordinary Louis, and greasy food, basically all louis and harry, ed is mentioned like 4 times, larry stylinson - Freeform, mentions zayn barely, not even his name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-31
Packaged: 2018-04-18 04:59:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4692959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeylouavenue/pseuds/honeylouavenue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>neither questioned their comfortability with each other. maybe in fear of jinxing it. maybe because they simply didn’t find it odd. but it worked. <em>they</em> worked.<br/>OR<br/>Harry is an addict and Ed needs Louis to help him stay clean while he's out of town.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> -the title is from My Week With Marilyn  
> -it starts off weird & bad but once you make it to day three it's fine  
> -it's all in lowercase & choppy sentences feature often  
> -This is a work of fiction. This is a fictional story about fictional representations of real people. None of the events are true. No profit was made from this work.

on the first day, louis’ mind was swarmed with regret. apparently this is where being a good friend gets you: a rundown flat with an empty fridge. minus the leftover pizza from god knows how long ago. it wouldn’t be a bad place if someone had actually cared about it. a bit of dusting and vacuuming should do the trick. louis searched the place for cleaning supplies which were ironically lightly coated in dust and heaved out a breath, preparing himself for the hours of work.

louis jumped at the sight of a tall man dressed in head to toe black and a sheer shirt standing in the doorway. he fumbled for his phone and shut off his blaring music.  
“hi,” he wiped his hands on his dirtied jeans, “i’m louis,” he didn’t speak, “and you must be harry”  
“so, you’re my new babysitter, eh?” he spoke slowly  
“babysitters get paid,”  
“then I suppose you’re doing this out of the kindness of your heart?”  
“you’d rather end up in a ditch high out of your mind?”  
“ditches aren’t my thing. I much prefer alleys,” his lips strung into a slow smirk. he lifted up a greasy paper bag. “chinese?”

louis poked at his orange chicken.  
“what did ed tell you? he has quite a big mouth sometimes.”  
“that he owes me one.”  
harry breathed out a small laugh, “c’mon, seriously”  
louis fought a small smile from his lips, “he told me that he was helping a friend get clean. and he’s going to visit family, so he needed someone to take over.”  
“vague.”  
“true.” he paused, debating whether or not to pry into harry’s personal life. he was already living with him, but they were still strangers. “how bad is it?”  
“not my worst,” he shoved a forkful of fried rice into his mouth. louis normally would’ve cringed at people talking with their mouth full. but he didn’t. he also wanted to ask what his worst was. and how many times he tried to get clean. but he didn’t do that either.

 

louis soon found out that ‘not my worst’ was still pretty bad when he shot out of bed at 2am. a loud thud pulsed through the flat, making louis wince and fly down the hall to harry’s room.  
“ha-?” louis’ words caught in his throat when he tripped over a lamp. he flicked on the light in search of the younger boy, silently wishing he had never touched the switch after witnessing the boy he had met earlier, well, what was left of the boy he had met earlier, all curled up in himself. his dark eyes squinted together tightly and the bags underneath had become a bright shade of red. the same color was splotched all over harry’s pale face. his hair was a loosely tangled tumbleweed, framing his face. he was sat in the fetal position, back against a bed post.  
“turn it off,” harry sputtered. louis quickly obeyed and rushed to his side. he channeled his inner big brother and went to wrap an arm around the shaken up boy, but was swatted away.  
“harry, let me help.” he went to repeat his once rejected action a few more times before harry finally allowed himself to be held. louis shushed the whining boy and held him between his legs. “it’s alright, hush, harry, you’ll be fine.”  
“I need a fix,” harry replied almost automatically. his once deep voice, seasoned with personality was now a desperate whisper. louis had never seen a bigger transformation.  
“you don’t,” louis rocked harry’s shaking body. he grazed his thumb across his tattooed arm reassuringly. harry’s broad shoulders writhed weakly in louis’ grasp.  
“I need a fix,” he whispered for the umpteenth time.  
“Shhhh, it’s all alright, yeah?” louis pressed his chin into the back of harry’s head, “sleep for me, love,”  
it took some time. a lot of time actually. a lot of deviations of the same phrases spoken into a head of curls. louis couldn’t wrap his head around it. the lad was perfectly fine earlier, or at least he seemed it. yet now, he saw no trace of the cheeky, emerald eyed harry he had met earlier. it’s like he had been possessed. possessed with a weak, desperate shell of a man.  
he found himself still muttering to harry after his tears had already lulled him asleep until louis fell asleep himself.  
“I’ve got you. don’t worry.”  
   
on the second day, louis awoke in pain. the position he cradled his roommate in may have felt right in the moment, but it did a number on louis’ joints. his elbows were stiffly wrapped around harry, like a shield. the bed post was still pressing into his now sore back. but louis stayed put. harry’s light breath warmed louis’ arm with each exhale. his thumb twitched slightly against louis’ thigh before the lad’s entire body jolted. louis clung onto him tightly, a concerned frown creasing into his face. louis dropped his shield from harry when his head lifted from his arm.  
“rise and shine” louis greeted with a gritty voice. harry sat up from the older boy’s support and turned to him. his eyes crinkled as he tried to run a hand through his messy bedhead.  
“what happened?”  
louis opened his mouth to speak, but no words left. he didn’t exactly know how to phrase the events from last night. harry’s eyes were wild and unfocused, darting across the room.  
“I slept?”  
“yeah! uh, yeah, you slept.” louis blinked back his tiredness, waiting for a further explanation. he didn’t get one. harry dragged himself out of bed.  
“there’s a bagel shop a few blocks down. I’ll pick up something.” harry rubbed the sleep from his eyes and shoved his feet into his worn out boots. it was then that louis noticed harry hadn’t changed out of his clothes from yesterday. his sheer, black button-up stuck to his skin with sweat.  
“I can go. you get cleaned up, yeah?”  
“we’ll go together.” harry said. and they did. 

louis stuck his hands through his sweatshirt pocket, rubbing his fingers together. thoughts of the night before swam around in his head, while harry seemed unfazed by anything except the fact that he had slept.  
“what’s on your mind?” harry snuck glances of louis as he wiped at his running nose.  
louis wanted to say ‘nothing’, but clearly he wasn’t as good at seeming unbothered as harry. “you don’t sleep?”  
“not too often. maybe 2 or 3 times a week.” he reached for the door handle, pulling it open for louis. if he were to be honest, he was shocked that harry was so open with him. but he guessed a man getting help from a stranger for a drug problem shouldn’t have much to be secretive about.

“you got a little,” harry pointed to a smear of cream cheese on louis’ chin. louis wiped at his face with the back of his hand, missing the mark. “no,” harry licked his thumb and leaned over the table. louis jerked back slightly, but noticeably. “what? you think I’ve got AIDs or something?”  
“that’s not wh-“  
“don’t worry,” harry laughed lightly, “I don’t share needles.” he winked before wiping his thumb across the small boy’s chin. louis laughed lightly, a tinge of pink rushing to his cheeks. “oh, now you’re embarrassed?” harry pulled a faux surprised look.  
“now, what’s that supposed to mean?” louis shot back, playing along with his silly banter.  
“last night you weren’t.”  
louis froze. he felt slightly exposed. which was odd considering he expected harry to be the one feeling exposed about it. he had just blurted it out like it was nothing. like louis didn’t spend an hour rocking him to sleep. like he didn’t see him in his most vulnerable state not even 24 hours after meeting him.  
harry pinched at the skin between his forearm and bicep, “you know something, lou?”  
“what?” louis’ eyes diverted to harry’s arm.  
“I quite like you.”  
louis’ blue eyes darted up to harry’s. a prominent dimple dented his cheeks as his smile grew. louis’ smile was even larger. he tried to hide it by looking down at the sticky table. it didn’t work.

harry’s hand somehow found louis’ hand through their midnight bob’s burgers binge. they weren’t holding hands. harry’s finger just slightly overlapped louis’, but it was something. louis had wanted to watch family guy, but harry refused. he found their jokes “rude and just plain mean”. louis may or may not have argued against it just to hear harry talk more and see those eyes light up with passion stemmed from how ‘ignorant viewers would soak up the jokes as truth.’  
harry wiped at his nose and eyes for the hundredth time when louis finally suggested that he should go lay down. he couldn’t bear hearing another painful groan tumble from his pink lips. so harry begrudgingly moped to his bedroom, stopping in front of the door to turn back to louis.  
“do you think I’ll even be able to sleep?”  
louis looked up into harry’s slightly intimidating, “try.”  
only about 20 minutes had passed before that vulnerable man from the night before stood in the doorframe of the living room. louis’ breath hitched. his small hands fumbled for the remote once he noticed the empty look in harry’s eyes.  
“you alright?” louis asked cautiously, turning his entire body to face him. louis silently cursed himself for asking such a dumb question. harry stood haunting still for what seemed like hours. as if the words didn’t process right away.  
“I’m sorry. I’m just…I’m aching all over. It’s r-,” his hand rose to wipe at his raw looking face. his mouth opened again to finish his thought but he remained speechless before finally shuffling back to his room. louis pushed himself up from the couch to follow behind the taller boy. his room was pitch black, and louis had learned to keep it that way. he crawled into the bed and blindly swept his hands around until he bumped what felt like harry’s knee. the fragile boy jumped back at louis’ touch.  
“hey, hey. it’s me,” louis gripped harry’s shoulders and pulled him in.  
the night was spent like the last, only this time the boys were lying on their sides. louis held harry against his chest. his own smaller legs fitting right in the bend of harry’s. sniffles caused quick rises in harry’s belly until he fell asleep. louis’ fingers traced abstract figures right above his ribs. and they slept.

on the third day harry finally changed his clothes. louis woke up to the sound of the shower squeaking off. wet feet padded into the sunlit room. he kept his eyes shut when harry’s knees sunk into the mattress. louis felt that familiar, warming breath on his face. the blunt scent of soap hit him hard.  
“are you up?” harry leaned close enough so that his damp forehead bumped against louis’. louis blinked a few times, as if he had just woken up, to find his dripping wet roommate unusually close to his face. he pulled his lips down in an exaggerated frown before following up with an equally exaggerated grin. “morning.”  
“hi.”  
“I left you some hot water,” harry leaned away from the smaller boy and climbed off of the bed. a few droplets of water shook loose onto the bed. louis noticed that he was covered only in a low hanging towel. the towel shifted even lower as he bowed down to shuffle through a large black suitcase. louis tore his eyes away.  
”going somewhere soon?”  
“oh, this?” harry kicked the suitcase and turned to louis, clutching a pair of white jeans and not bothering to reposition his towel, “this is my dresser for now. ”  
louis let his eyes drift back to harry, taking in his tall frame, scattered tattoos, and adorable tummy. his eyes settled on column of purple circles stretching down harry’s forearm. his cerulean eyes squinted in fascination when he noticed the scabs in the center of the bruises. his daze was abruptly cut short when harry threw his jeans at louis’ staring face, “shower!”  
“alright, alright!” louis chuckled as he rolled out of bed, “are these women’s?” his brows furrowed at the jeans.  
“no, they’re mine,” harry shot back complete with a cheeky smile.

louis raked his dingy vans off on the edge of the couch and pulled his knees up to his chest. he’d been eyeballing harry shift around uncomfortably, barely nibbling on his bagel.  
“are you okay?”  
“yeah,” harry replied automatically. his lips pressed together so tightly that a dull white overtook the pink. after a few more minutes of being ogled at like a museum piece, harry snapped towards louis, “is there something you need?”  
“yes, actually,” louis sat up boldly.  
_"what?"_  
“I need to know you. what’s your story.”  
“ed seriously didn’t tell you?” he spoke quicker than usual.  
louis shook his head. harry reached across to the other side of the stained couch and gripped onto louis’ lithe arm to pull him over. a delightful laugh emitted from his thin lips, “what are you doing?”  
“c’mon,” he sat louis between his long legs, “storytime.” a yellowing bruise on his hand contrasted louis’ chocolate hair as he finger combed through it.  
“are you going to tell orrrrrr,” louis drawled a minute through his head massage.  
“alright, chill out,” he paused again for a few seconds, “I used for the first time when I was 19. uh, my home life wasn’t bad. I lived in a nice Cheshire neighborhood with my mum and sister. I wasn’t traumatized as a child. I just…wanted to try I guess.”  
louis grabbed harry’s free hand in his own.  
“I was just using here and there until I met my ex. he was an addict, or is, and for us using became a kind of romantic thing, I guess? probably not the word for it but whatever. we shot up together over breakfast and shot up before sex and when we were angry or happy. it was our norm. I left my entire life behind to move out here to bradford with him. that’s when I got addicted. either that or it’s easier to blame him. anyway, we had a pretty bad breakup, so I moved into this shithole. and now ed’s helping me out,” harry lifted louis’ hand up to his rosy tinted lips, pressing a hard kiss to it, “and you.”  
louis turned himself around to face the curly haired boy. he gripped his hand tighter.  
“I’ll always be here for you, okay? I promise.” louis’ eyes stared genuinely into harry’s. louis let their hands drop to harry’s thigh. he had lost all train of thought. he wondered if those haunting green eyes had that effect on everyone. his fingers lightly grazed the seam of harry’s pants leg. harry didn’t protest. besides the heavy rise and fall of his chest, he was motionless. louis found himself leaning towards harry. his minute hands pushed into the crease between harry’s thick thighs and crotch. louis’ back arched as his face inched closer to harry’s. the suspense dissipated at the touch of their lips. harry’s slightly chapped lips outlined louis’ thin ones. they were both still for a few seconds. until louis grabbed a chunk of curls at the back of harry’s neck and their lips started locking together like they had kissed each other hundreds of times before. like they had known each other forever. louis felt right being all tangled up in harry. he reached blindly for harry’s hand to interlock their fingers, but once their hands bumped, harry yanked his hand away. he shoved louis back and his arms clung at the arm of the couch to steady himself, though he wasn’t the one that was pushed. louis blinked, wide-eyed at harry, who looked just as surprised.  
“I’m sorry,” he ran a hand through his hair frantically. he shot up from the couch, speeding for the door.  
“wait, harry!”  
he slammed the door mercilessly. louis pushed off of the couch and darted after him, swinging the door back open.  
_"harry!"_ louis called to harry’s back as his long legs sprinted down the stairs to the exit, _"HARRY!"_ the older boy tried again. the unsettling sound of the lobby door shutting echoed faintly.

on the fourth day louis’ eyes fluttered open, trying to focus on a dark figure at the edge of his bed. yes, his bed. it was the first night he slept in it. he noted that it wasn’t as warm as harry’s. (louis had decided the night before to give harry the silent treatment. he had stayed up till four a.m., hoping the frantic boy would return. in one piece. but he didn’t. and when louis couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer, he ended up curling into himself, forcing himself to sleep.) louis’ bare feet smacked against the cold floor as he slid out of bed. harry followed closely after the short boy pacing into the kitchen.  
“I’m sorry.”  
louis stuffed Chinese leftovers into the microwave on a paper plate. he rested his body against the counter while he waited on his greasy food.  
“I’m sorry, lou, please.”  
louis removed his food from the microwave before the timer could sound and lifted himself onto the counter to eat. the chicken was still cold on the inside but he had too much pride to put it back in.  
“I didn’t mean to push you. the last thing I want to do is hurt you,” harry tugged his packers beanie off of his mop of curls and twisted it around in his large hands, “you deserve better – much, much better.”  
louis pulled an expression that screamed ‘obviously’ as he stabbed at his food.  
“please, say someth-”  
“I like you. and I thought you liked me but I…,” louis huffed, “I guess not. it’s whatever then,” he mumbled.  
“no, louis, it’s not like that.“  
“then _what is it?"_  
harry picked at an old track mark on his forearm. nervous habit. he pulled his hand away when he noticed louis’ eyes following his movement.  
“I don’t want to be to you what my ex was to me. I don’t want you to get caught up in this,” harry gestured to himself. he forced a shaky breath past his lips.  
“harry, you aren’t poisonous. I know you wouldn’t…,“ louis stopped himself, noticing harry’s uneasy appearance, “are you alright?”  
“I’m fine.”  
louis hopped down from the counter just as harry’s breath hitched. he stumbled out of the tiny kitchen and ducked into the bathroom, kneeling down in front of the toilet, gagging up what little he had to eat the night before. and louis was right there. holding his long locks out of his face. his hand rubbed harry’s back soothingly.  
“no, stop, stop,” harry turned to his small roommate and gently pushed his arm back, “see this is what I’m talking about,” his deep voice cracked, threatening tears. “I don’t want you to be my _babysitter.”_ he spat the words out like venom.  
“no, harry, god,” louis sighed in frustration, “there’s a difference between babysitting and caring about someone. for fucks sake, harry, I care about you! I want to make sure you’re safe and happy and,” he groaned agitatedly at his unexpected confession, “run a bath. you’ve got to get cleaned up.”

the two sat in the cramped tub, which proved to not be much of a problem since harry was cuddled as closely as possible into louis’ chest. they faced each other and it wasn’t awkward. it wasn’t sexual. just intimate. because the two had a formed an oddly close bond through their mere four days together. neither questioned their comfortability with each other. maybe in fear of jinxing it. maybe because they simply didn’t find it odd. but it worked. _they_ worked. louis didn’t say anything when harry fell asleep in his arms. even when his toes started to prune and he got a little heavy.

on the fifth day louis decided that it wasn’t fair he knew harry’s story but harry didn’t know his. not that he had much of a story to tell. his childhood was pretty average. single mom, lots of siblings, occasional weekends at his dad’s when he didn’t blow him off. so he told harry all about growing up in doncaster with harry fit right under his arm. and harry was strangely heavily interested. he asked small questions like ‘did your mum pack your lunches’ and ‘what kind of toys did you have’. louis smiled at him fondly, answering everything. louis liked harry. he liked how harry curled up into his chest even though he was taller and overall larger than him. he liked how harry only knew how to cook eggs and pop tarts. he liked how harry pulled his shirt up sometimes out of the blue, flashing his butterfly tattoo. he liked him a lot. and his plump lips look exceptionally kissable under sunlight. and apparently harry could read minds. (louis liked that too.)  
“I won’t run away this time,” he held his hand up, “scouts honor.”  
“you’re an idiot,” louis mumbled as he closed the space between their lips. harry was much more responsive this time around, pinching louis’ chin to bring him in impossibly closer. he had managed his way onto his knees to straddle the smaller boy’s lap. louis’ hands wrapped around his waist possessively. louis could’ve kissed him for hours, tangling tongues with his curly haired crush. but he needed air. unfortunately.

louis had gotten used to being the big spoon. he loved it actually. louis’ pale blue eyes focused down on harry and harry’s electric green eyes glazed over as he stared at nothing in particular.  
“my mum called.”  
it took louis a moment to comprehend but once he did he sat up immediately.  
“that’s great! what’d she say?”  
“we haven’t talked in…,” harry seemed to ignore louis’ questions, preferring to go at his own pace. louis circled his fingers on his elbow patiently. “almost two years.”  
louis wasn’t sure if he was allowed to ask again. but he did.  
“she wants me to come home.”  
louis stiffened, “like to visit?”  
harry turned to face the blindingly bright tv. louis gave him a moment until he was sure he wasn’t going to answer.  
“harry.”  
harry hummed.  
“you’re moving?”  
“better than wandering. what’s here for me?”  
_me._ “you could get a job,” louis offered unconfidently.  
“how can I keep a job? I can barely keep myself together.”  
“I could help.”  
“you need to get on with your life.”  
_I want you in my life._ “you’re not a burden.”  
harry didn’t respond. he detangled his lanky limbs from louis and limped to his bedroom. the door clicked shut quietly. like he was afraid of doing any more damage. louis’ phone vibrated in his pocket with a text from ed asking him how it was going. a few minutes ago louis would have said fine. maybe even great. but now it was shit. and he had nothing to brag about.

on the sixth day harry hid. all day. louis hadn’t seen him exit his room once. so when the sun went down, louis’ pride went down as well. he knocked lightly on harry’s locked bedroom door. no answer. it was completely silent actually. eerily silent. like in a horror movie when the girl goes into her medicine cabinet and when she closes it the killer appears behind her in the mirror.  
“harry, please,” louis pressed his forehead against the cool door, “you haven’t eaten all day. I’m going to mcdonald’s.”  
a small creak from the bed slipped through the door. louis perked up, trying the doorknob.  
“chicken nuggets, please,” harry spoke against the door. his forehead pressed right where louis’ was.  
louis smiled fondly, “I’ll be back in a few.”

louis ended up having to go to two different mcdonald’s. the one closer to the house had closed by the time he got there, but the second one was open 24 hours. it took him an entire hour to get back. there was a burger king closer to the flat, but harry didn’t like burger king. he huffed out a large breath as he cut across the park to the apartment building. he knew he probably shouldn’t have been walking through a dark park at nearly midnight but he probably shouldn’t have done a lot of things he has done. so what’s the harm?  
he struggled his way up to the flat, bearing two greasy bags of food. harry had only asked for chicken nuggets but louis added in an extra burger (or two) in hopes of getting him to eat more. the flat was silent again. louis kicked the door shut behind him and dropped the colorful bags on the table.  
“haz, I’m back!” he called out as he unpacked three salty fries on the table, “I didn’t get drinks because I’ve got only two arms unfortunately, so water’s gonna have to do.” he glanced at the time on the stove. 12:02am. 

on the seventh day louis pinched a carton of fries between his fingers. he shoveled a few past his thin lips as he started towards harry’s bedroom.  
“I’m not going to bring you your food. I’m not your maid, but I will wear the dress if you’d like,” he joked as he went to knock on the door. it was unlocked. and open. the door swung back and hit the wall. louis stepped inside cautiously, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. the first thing he noticed was the unmade bed. normal. but it was empty. not normal. he set the fries on the nightstand, dragging his hand furiously across the wall. he flicked on the light in search of the younger boy, silently wishing he had never touched the switch after witnessing an empty room. the big black suitcase that used to take up most of the space between the bed and the wall was gone. so every trace of harry was gone with it, since everything he owned was stuffed carelessly into it. louis had tripped over that suitcase time and time again and shouted at his roommate for it.  
_oh, for god’s sake, HARRY._  
and harry had never failed to damn near laugh his lungs out. whether his leg was cramping or nose was running, he always belted out a laugh and clapped his large hand on his mouth.  
his phone vibrated in his pocket, tearing him away from his gaze at the empty spot. ed again. asking if he was doing alright.

louis slept in harry’s bed that night. he woke up to a silent flat. no long haired boy smiling in his face. no two minutes worth of hot water waiting for him. no bagels for breakfast. just him. and that was his week with harry.


	2. epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> harry is back and louis is dizzy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those who wanted an epilogue/happy ending :-)

louis pushed through the heavy door, inhaling the scent of overpriced textbooks and dust. he slung his bag on the desk before hopping up and sliding across it himself.  
"ed?" he called out in the seemingly empty bookstore.  
"back here," the red head shuffled through the back curtains with an arm full of copies of paper towns, "if we get another shipment of these books, I'm quitting."  
louis laughed in agreement, "hello, mate," he bit down on the inside of his cheek, wondering when it would be okay to ask.  
"nothing from harry."  
louis immediately lowered his gaze, the mud stains on his shoes suddenly becoming more interesting than their conversation. and that was how it went for about a month.

until ed got a phone call from a wretched boy using a pay phone on his last few coins in leeds. and drove out to pick him up at 2am. because that’s what friends are for.  
"louis has been worried sick, you know?"  
he didn't know. and ed knew harry talked slow but it did take him a while to respond.  
"why?"  
ed sighed and harry’s heart threatened to pound through his top.

louis stuck the hundredth bright orange sticker on a book before finally giving his sore fingers a break. he groaned as the front door whooshed open, checking the clock above his head.  
_1 hour till break. that's 30 minutes two times._  
"hi, how are you?"  
the customer stepped out from behind a bookshelf. his smile was almost as bright as the pink of the flamingos on his shirt at the sound of louis' voice. he pulled his plush lips into his mouth  
"lou…" harry whispered to himself almost inaudibly. louis' heart sped but his breathing slowed. his fingers curled tightly around the chipped edge of the desk, seeking some form of stability.  
harry's grin fell when the expression wasn't returned. he looked down to the ground as he tucked a loose hair into his bun, "I was looking for ed."  
louis’ fingers seemed to recover quickly. his willowy hands snatched the next book in the large pile, clumsily plastering a sticker on the inside of the cover.  
“he’s gone out for lunch,” louis fought to keep his voice steady.  
harry stayed silent. for a moment louis thought he’d left. his frantic eyes sneaked a quick look up. he wasn’t sure if he was happy or not that he was still there.  
“I was bringing him lunch to thank him…for picking me up,” he kept his eyes focused on the panicked boy in front of him, “last night.”  
louis’ hands were sweating now. the book he was fumbling with slid across the desk dropping a few feet in front of harry.  
“I’ve got it,” louis spoke pushier than he planned.  
“no, let me,”  
“please, I-“  
“louis, really,“  
_”I said I got it,”_ louis tried to snatch the book from harry’s larger hands with no avail. his long fingers wound tightly around it. he finally allowed himself to look up into harry’s evergreen eyes. harry’s brows bunched together in an apologetic frown as he grudgingly let go of the book.  
“I’m sorry,”  
louis’ mind raced with sarcastic phrases at first. then came the things he wanted to shout at his ex-roommate through long-awaited tears. followed by questions about his health. this all occurred in about three seconds. leaving him feeling quite dizzy. so his narrow lips took over, betraying his mind and speaking without his permission.  
“it’s okay.” _no, it’s not._  
“no, it’s not.”  
louis forgot harry could read minds.  
“are you safe?” it was a dumb question really. and louis realized it was. only too late. sure, harry was safe. he was in a college bookstore in the middle of the day. not really a hotspot for crime. even though louis always forgets to lock the side door when he closes up. but harry understood.  
“I’m good.”  
louis let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. and his heart returned to normal speed.  
harry lifted up a greasy paper bag, “chinese?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u so so so much for reading and liking my story (if u did like it) xxxx


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